Control channel management in cellular communications system

1. In a communications system providing service to a plurality of mobile stations over a plurality of communications channels, said channels including at least one analog control channel (ACCH) and at least one digital control channel (DCCH), said mobile stations including at least one analog-only mobile station capable of operating on said at least one ACCH but not on said at least one DCCH, and at least one dual-mode mobile station capable of operating on either said at least one ACCH or said at least one DCCH, a method for the registration of said mobile stations and for directing said at least one dual-mode mobile station to said at least one DCCH comprising the steps of: transmitting over said at least one ACCH from one of said mobile stations to said system a registration access message including an indication of whether said mobile station is an analog-only or a dual-mode mobile station; determining at said system from said indication whether said one mobile station is an analog-only or a dual-mode mobile station; if said one mobile station is determined to be an analog-only mobile station, transmitting over said at least one ACCH from said system to said one mobile station, in response to said registration access message, a registration confirmation message indicating that said one mobile station has been registered with said system; if said one mobile station is determined to be a dual-mode mobile station, transmitting over said at least one ACCH from said system to said one mobile station, in response to said registration access message, a registration confirmation message indicating that said one mobile station has been registered with said system and further including an indication of the location of a particular DCCH which has been selected by the system based on the subscriber profile and/or physical location of said one mobile station; and upon receipt of said DCCH indication, switching said one mobile station to said selected DCCH.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said registration access message is transmitted by said mobile station when performing a system area registration.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said registration access message is transmitted by said mobile station when performing a location area registration.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said registration access message is transmitted by said mobile station when performing a power up registration.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said registration access message is transmitted by said mobile station when performing a periodic registration.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one ACCH is formatted according to the specifications of the IS-136 standard.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one DCCH is formatted according to the specifications of the IS-136 standard.